Systems and methods for monitoring fouling and slagging in heat transfer devices in coal fired power plants

1. A system for isolating effects of one or more process parameters on performance of a heat transfer device, comprising: an efficiency correction unit adapted to receive data representative of at least one measurable process parameter or a change in the measurable process parameter of the heat transfer device, and configured to compute a normalized efficiency of the heat transfer device, wherein the normalized efficiency represents a corrected efficiency that isolates effects of one or more process parameters on performance of the heat transfer device, the efficiency correction unit comprising: at least one base load filter adapted to remove effects of a varying load on the heat transfer device, wherein the varying load is configured to utilize an output from the heat transfer device to produce useful work; at least one efficiency calculator adapted to compute an initial efficiency of the heat transfer device, wherein the initial efficiency is different from the normalized efficiency; and at least one efficiency normalization unit adapted to apply a normalization model to the data to compute the normalized efficiency for the heat transfer device based on the initial efficiency.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the efficiency correction unit comprises one or more stability filters adapted to validate whether the data is sufficiently stable for application of the normalization model.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a data logging unit configured to collect data from the heat transfer device, wherein the data represents at least one measurable process parameter or changes in the measurable process parameter.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the data logging unit comprises a plant information system.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the data logging unit samples data from the heat transfer device at periods ranging from about 5 minutes to about 10 hours.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the measurable process parameter includes a pressure inside the heat transfer device, a temperature inside the heat transfer device, a mass flow rate of the fuel into the heat transfer device, a mass flow rate of air into the heat transfer device, a mass flow output of gas from the heat transfer device, a higher heating value of the fuel, or a higher heating value of the steam, or combinations thereof.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a maintenance unit adapted to introduce an anomaly reduction medium based on the normalized efficiency to at least one of the heat transfer device, a fuel for the heat transfer device, and a heat circulation medium in the heat transfer device.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the anomaly reduction medium provided via the maintenance unit to the heat transfer device includes deposit conditioning additives, combustion catalysts, reflectivity modifiers, or combinations and derivatives thereof.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the anomaly condition includes at least one of a fouling effect, a slagging effect, or a corrosive effect.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the efficiency calculator unit computes the initial efficiency based on an output-loss algorithm.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer device comprises a boiler, a furnace, an air preheater, a furnace waterwall, a superheater, a reheater or an economizer.

12. A method for isolating effects of one or more process parameters on performance of a heat transfer device, comprising: providing an efficiency correction unit with data representing one or more measurable process parameters or a change in the one or more measurable process parameters of the heat transfer device; calculating an initial efficiency of the heat transfer device based on the at least one or more measurable process parameters; and applying a normalization model to the data to determine a normalized efficiency of the heat transfer device, wherein the normalized efficiency is adapted to remove effects of a varying load on the heat transfer device, wherein the varying load is configured to utilize an output from the heat transfer device to produce useful work, and wherein the normalized efficiency represents a corrected efficiency, different from the initial efficiency, that isolates the effects of the one or more process parameters of the heat transfer device.

13. The method of claim 12 , comprising sampling the data via a plurality of sensors placed proximate to the heat transfer device.

14. The method of claim 12 , comprising calculating the normalized efficiency based on at least one of a heating value of a fuel, a flow rate of the fuel, steam pressure, reheat pressure, cold reheat pressure, load factor, or an amount of power generated.

15. The method of claim 12 , comprising calculating the normalized efficiency based on corrections effected by stability filters to the initial efficiency.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the normalized efficiency indicates a drop in efficiency due to the one or more anomaly conditions.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising providing an anomaly reduction medium via a maintenance unit to the heat transfer device based on the normalized efficiency, a fuel for the heat transfer device, and a heat circulation medium in the heat transfer device, wherein the anomaly reduction medium substantially reduces the one or more anomaly conditions and wherein the anomaly reduction medium includes deposit conditioning additives, combustion catalysts, reflectivity modifiers, or combinations and derivatives thereof.

18. The method of claim 17 , comprising mixing the anomaly reduction medium with a fuel for injection into the heat transfer device via the maintenance unit.

19. The method of claim 17 , comprising mixing the anomaly reduction medium to a liquid medium inside the heat transfer device.

20. A tangible, machine readable media for isolating effects of one or more process parameters of a heat transfer device, comprising: code adapted to to receive data representative of at least one measurable process parameter or a change in the measurable process parameter of the heat transfer device, and configured to compute a normalized efficiency of the heat transfer device, wherein the normalized efficiency represents a corrected efficiency that isolates effects of one or more process parameters on performance of the heat transfer, the efficiency correction unit comprising: at least one base load filter adapted to remove effects of a varying load on the heat transfer device, wherein the varying load is configured to utilize an output from the heat transfer device to produce useful work; at least one efficiency calculator adapted to compute an initial efficiency of the heat transfer device, wherein the initial efficiency is different from the normalized efficiency; and at least one efficiency normalization unit adapted to apply a normalization model to the data to compute the normalized efficiency for the heat transfer device based on the initial efficiency.

21. A system for isolating effects of one or more process parameters on performance of a heat transfer device, comprising: an efficiency correction unit adapted to receive data representative of at least one measurable process parameter or a change in the measurable process parameter of the heat transfer device, and configured to compute a normalized efficiency of the heat transfer device, wherein the normalized efficiency is adapted to remove effects of a varying load on the heat transfer device, wherein the varying load is configured to utilize an output from the heat transfer device to produce useful work, and wherein the normalized efficiency represents a corrected efficiency that isolates effects of one or more process parameters on performance of the heat transfer device.